Can I Take Vitamin D and Magnesium Together?

Magnesium has become a bit of a superstar supplement of late.

Its health benefits are plastered all over TikTok, apparently helping with everything from asthma to irritable bowel syndrome.

And the word is that other nutrients wouldn’t work as efficiently if it wasn’t for magnesium.

Magnesium helps other nutrients to be their best.

And this couldn’t be more true in the case of vitamin D.

When it comes to determining how much vitamin D our bodies can produce, magnesium is the boss. So much so, that having low magnesium levels is thought to go hand in hand with a vitamin D deficiency. ⁽¹⁾

And there's more to it than that.

Let's take a look at both magnesium and vitamin D, and why in order to reap the rewards of each, they really are better together.

What Are Magnesium and Vitamin D

You could say that both vitamin D and magnesium are considered essential nutrients. They both play crucial roles in maintaining overall health and well-being.

While magnesium is a vital mineral involved in numerous bodily functions, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin important for bone health and immune function.

Let's take a look at what each can do for us individually.

The Role of Magnesium in the Body

Magnesium is an essential minerals our body needs to stay healthy and function optimally. This powerhouse nutrient supports hundreds of biochemical reactions in the body, providing numerous benefits, including:

• Reducing Fatigue: It plays a key role in energy production, reducing tiredness and fatigue. ⁽²⁾
• Improving Sleep Quality: Magnesium promotes better sleep by regulating neurotransmitters. ⁽³⁾
• Enhancing Post-Exercise Recovery: It aids in muscle relaxation and reduces soreness after workouts. ⁽⁴⁾
• Boosting Flexibility: By supporting muscle function and reducing tension, magnesium improves flexibility. ⁽⁵⁾
• Reducing Anxiety Symptoms: Magnesium can have a calming effect on the nervous system, helping to manage anxiety. ⁽⁶⁾

Magnesium also plays a key role in joint health, metabolism, and nervous system function.

The Role of Vitamin D in the Body

Vitamin D is one of the most important fat-soluble vitamins for our health. This crucial nutrient boasts a variety of powerful functions, including:

• Boosting Calcium Absorption: Vitamin D is essential for absorbing calcium, supporting strong bones and teeth. ⁽⁷⁾
• Enhancing Immune Function: It bolsters the immune system, helping to fend off infections and illnesses. ⁽⁸⁾
• Supporting Bone Growth and Development: It's vital for the growth and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. ⁽⁹⁾
• Maintaining Muscle Health: Vitamin D keeps muscles strong and functioning properly, reducing the risk of falls and fractures. ⁽¹⁰⁾

Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” our body produces vitamin D naturally when exposed to sunlight. However, during winter months or in regions with limited sunlight, vitamin D supplementation is often recommended to ensure adequate levels.

Why Are These Two Essential Nutrients Important as a Pair?

Magnesium and vitamin D work hand-in-hand to optimize your health. Magnesium is crucial for the activation of vitamin D, determining how much vitamin D our bodies can produce and use effectively. Together, they ensure robust bone health, effective immune function, and overall well-being.

Taking Vitamin D and Magnesium Together

For vitamins and minerals to be effective, they must be absorbed and converted into the forms that the body can use, a process known as "bioavailability."

To put it simply, the bioavailability of vitamin D largely depends on magnesium.

There are enzymes in our liver and kidneys which convert vitamin D into its active form (calcitriol), and these enzymes can’t work without sufficient amounts of magnesium.

One of the main roles of vitamin D is regulating our calcium levels. Without enough magnesium to activate vitamin D, calcium regulation can falter, which could cause issues with your bone health. ⁽¹¹⁾

The Synergy Between Magnesium and Other Nutrients

Magnesium doesn’t just aid vitamin D; it also enhances the absorption and utilization of other essential minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. This synergistic relationship ensures that all these nutrients work together to support your health.

Similarly, vitamin D needs other nutrients such as boron, zinc, and vitamins A and K to effectively strengthen bones and maintain overall health.

Because of these interdependencies, it's often recommended to take a comprehensive supplement that includes a balanced mix of vitamins and minerals rather than relying on standalone nutrients. This holistic approach ensures optimal absorption and effectiveness of all essential nutrients.

How to Take Vitamin D and Magnesium

Getting the recommended dietary allowance for magnesium should be reasonably easy. As long as you have a varied and balanced diet. Here are some magnesium-rich foods to keep you in credit:

• Spinach
• Almonds, Cashews, and Peanuts.
• Avocado
• Nuts
• Beans
• Wholegrains

Vitamin D, however, is a bit more challenging to obtain from diet alone. The primary source of vitamin D is direct exposure to sunlight, which isn’t optimal during the winter months when sunlight is limited.

While we can get some vitamin D from foods such as oily fish, egg yolk, and fortified foods, it's often not enough, especially during the winter. This problem is prevalent that it's estimated about one billion people across the globe have a vitamin D deficiency. And 50% of people have a vitamin D insufficiency. ⁽¹²⁾

So this is where vitamin D supplements can help. These can help you meet your vitamin D needs all-year-round.

How Much Vitamin D and Magnesium Should We Be Taking?

Magnesium

It is recommended that adult men should take 400-420 mg of magnesium per day, and adult women should take 310-320 mg per day. These recommendations include magnesium from both food and supplements.

Magnesium can also be absorbed through the skin using transdermal supplements like magnesium oil or creams, although this method does not contribute significantly to your daily intake.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D supplements should be taken in doses of at least 15 mcg (600 IU) per day for adults up to age 70, and 20 mcg (800 IU) per day for those over 70. Supplementation is especially important during the autumn and winter months when sunlight exposure is limited.

Certain populations should consider year-round supplementation of vitamin D, including:

• Elderly people
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women
• Individuals with limited sun exposure
• People with darker skin

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is the preferred form of supplementation as it is the type produced by the body in response to sunlight and is more effective at raising and maintaining adequate vitamin D levels compared to D2 (ergocalciferol).

Magnesium and Vitamin D Deficiency

Anyone who spends little time outdoors is at a significant risk of having a vitamin D insufficiency. Even SPF creams, which are highly recommended when going out in the sun, can block the rays our skin needs to produce vitamin D.

Having a vitamin D deficiency may lead to:

• Aching or weakened bones
• Weak muscles
• Symptoms of depression
• Increased risk of coughs and colds
• Gut issues

While these symptoms are fairly subtle, they can cause very harmful health issues if left unaddressed and untreated. You should check with your doctor about how to check your vitamin D levels.

A magnesium deficiency can cause:

• Poor sleep
• Fatigue and tiredness
• Heart palpitations

Ensuring adequate levels of both magnesium and vitamin D is crucial for maintaining overall health and preventing these deficiencies.

If you think you may not be getting enough magnesium through diet alone, magnesium supplementation is something that can be easily incorporated into your diet. You can do this via a standalone magnesium supplement or by looking for a quality multivitamin that incorporates magnesium as well as vitamin D.

The Best Magnesium and Vitamin D Supplements

So, now that you've learnt all you need to know about vitamin D and magnesium, and how they work together, let's look at your options for getting both of these nutrients ticked off your daily supplements list.

Best Standalone Magnesium Supplement

The combination of NutriGenesis® Magnesium and magnesium L-Threonate promotes efficient bone and muscle function whilst also supporting cognitive health and brain signaling.

Shop Performance Lab® Magnesium

Best Vitamin D Supplement

Performance Lab® D3 + K2 delivers advanced nutrition for healthy teeth, bones, cardiovascular, and immune function. Our Liposomal Vitamin D3 is 87% more potent than the D2 found in many other supplements, ensuring superior absorption and rapid action.

NutriGenesis® Vitamin K2 is three times more effective than K1 in activating bone-building hormones, promoting optimal bone mineralization and blood vessel health.

Shop Performance Lab® D3+K2

Both of these supplements are 100% plant-based, vegan-certified and use clean, research-backed dosages and ingredients. Plus, we use gut-friendly prebiotic fiber-infused NutriCaps® for maximum absorption. Both vitamin D and magnesium are safe for daily use and ideal for stacking with any other Performance Lab® supplement.

Best Multivitamin with Magnesium and Vitamin D

Multivitamins are the most convenient way to fill any and all nutritional gaps you may have.

The key with multivitamins is the bioavailability.

As mentioned earlier, for vitamins and minerals to be effective, they must be absorbed and converted into the forms that the body can use, a process known as "bioavailability." Performance Lab® NutriGenesis® Multi, supplies research backed dosages of 26 vitamins and minerals complexed with natural cofactors, which makes them more bioavailable.

NutriGenesis® Multi includes 25mcg of vitamin D3, and 40mg of magnesium per serving.

Shop Performance Lab® NutriGenesis®

The Take-Home

We've seen how magnesium plays a significant role in how much vitamin D our bodies can produce. Which highlights the importance of magnesium when aiming to maintain optimal vitamin D levels.

But magnesium's not just a TikTok sensation.

Many nutrients need each other to optimally absorb and get used in the body. This includes magnesium and vitamin D.

For optimal results, consider a multivitamin supplement like Performance Lab Multi, which ensures you get a balanced mix of vitamins and minerals for comprehensive support and enhanced nutrient absorption.